Dear CSM members,

2014 has been an exciting year in microbiology and an exciting year for the CSM. This past year, microbiology has been at the forefront of global interest with major infectious disease outbreaks occurring: notably the largest Ebola outbreak in history occuring in West Africa, Chinkangunya virus at large in the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as ever present problems with antibiotic resistance associated infections in both community acquired and hospital associated diseases. Other health issues included enterovirus D68, and vaccine preventable disease outbreaks of whooping cough in parts of Canada and the USA, and the mumps virus infecting NHL hockey players. In addition to the major public health and food safety threats of microbial pathogens, it is clear that microbes are currently accepted to be major players in health, life, and environmental sciences. Improved technologies and methods in genomics, proteomics, high throughput sequencing and bioinformatics have made it possible to practically address and answer questions that were previously unattainable about microbes in complex communities and natural environments. As such, it is indeed a very exciting time to be a microbiologist!

This past year, in July 2014, the CSM was proud to host the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) Congresses at the Palais de Congrès in Montreal. This venue included the three IUMS congresses in Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology, Virology, and Mycology and Eukaryotic Microbiology in addition to CSM sponsored award lectures and student oral and poster competitions. Overall, this International meeting was attended by over 1800 attendees from 89 different countries and included hundreds of conferences covering a spectrum of topics in microbial sciences. We thank all those who contributed to the organization of this meeting, and of those who participated and attended largely contributing to its success. For a summary of the event, one can access the report prepared by Pierre Talbot, who served as President of the Local organizing committee for the 2014 IUMS Congresses.

The CSM executive and local organizing committee are currently involved in planning the 65th CSM/SCM Annual Conference to be held from June 15th-18th to be hosted and held at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan. This year's meeting promises to be of interest for attendees with a diversity of interests. The meeting keynote will be David Guttman from University of Toronto. Sessions will highlight topics specific to the CSM main themes of Applied & Environmental Microbiology, Infection & Immunity, and Molecular Genetics and Cellular Microbiology. Selected submissions from the submitted abstracts will also be included in the speaker sessions. The conference will also include an opportunity for attendees to participate in a half day workshop focused on undergraduate education. A workshop on environmental proteomics is also being planned through the Institute for Environmental Change and Society. More details on both workshops will soon be posted on the conference website.

Please consult the meeting website for more details http://www.csmregina2015.ca

We look forward to seeing many of you in Regina at the CSM Annual Conference and encourage you and your students to become members or renew your membership this year.

On behalf of all members of the CSM executive and section councils, we wish each of you the very best of success and health for 2015.

Charles M. Dozois, President
Canadian Society of Microbiologists